The 5 Best Photo Backdrop Stands [Ranked]
In this post, we take a look at five of the best-selling photo backdrop stands.
These stands are used by photographers to set up various backgrounds for portraits and other types of photography. These stands can be made of metal or plastic tubing and are designed to be put up and taken down quickly.
How do they work?
Most photo booth stands have adjustable tubes to adjust both the height and the width to accommodate different sized backgrounds. Wingnuts or other clamping mechanisms secure the tubes in place and allow for easy disassembly.
If you’re a pro or even a semi-pro photographer, you’re going to want to invest in a good system to support backdrops.
Having a backdrop system allows you to create professional looking portraits, and are essential for those who need to mask out their subjects in Photoshop for publication or to use a green screen for chroma keying. (Source).
Contents
Comparing The Options
How Do They Compare
Here we look at five good stands for your home studio.
- The Lincostore Zenith stand is a T-shaped stand with the dimensions of 5×6.7 ft. These dimensions are fixed, so if you need something larger, you may have to look elsewhere. At only 4 lbs. this stand is portable and it stores away easily. This stand comes with clamps that allow you to quickly attach and detach your background of choice.
- The ePhoto backdrop system is the more traditional crossbar setup, which allows for both height and width adjustment (width adjusts up to 10 feet). It’s made of lightweight tubing that make it easy to transport for those times you need to move out of the studio (Source).
- Next up is the Limo 10×8.5 ft. adjustable background system. This is another crossbar setup that adjusts quickly and easily. This stand also comes with background clips and a bag for easy carrying. Buyers said the system was easy to set up, but some also said adding sandbags or some other weight to the tripods was needed to secure the stand.
- The Esmart studio is a crossbar system that adjusts up to 10 ft. The kit comes with carrying bags, and clips for easily attaching backdrops. It’s easy to set up and light enough to carry on photo shoots outside of the studio. (Source).
- Last is the Julius Studio, which is another crossbar set up that spans up to 10 ft. Like the others, this one also comes with a carry bag and the necessary clamps for securing your backdrop of choice. Also, like the others, this one is made of lightweight tubing that makes it easy to carry. Lastly, while users said this was easy to set up and use, they recommend using sandbags or some other type of weight to keep the system secure due to the light weight of the tubing.
Best Backdrop For 2023
Effectiveness
Price
Ease Of Use
This backdrop stand offered by Julius Studio is affordable, stable, and an excellent choice for amateur photographers who want a frame to hold canvas, muslin, or paper. Users love the stand is easy to move around, but some do note that they had issues connecting the bars.
The Julius Studio background curtain set features an aluminum alloy construction to ensure durability and portability, and photo clams made of synthetic nylon to provide a strong grip and prevent the canvas from slipping out. Another great thing is that it’s adjustable in width (5-10.3 ft) and height (2.6 -7.5 ft). In addition to this, the set includes quality sandbags for stability.
As a whole, users have a favorable opinion of the Julius backdrop stand curtain, and they praise its usefulness and functionality.
A reviewer comments that he has used the background curtain a couple of times and that it’s more stable than he initially expected. He adds that the clamps are strong and sturdy and that the canvas doesn’t move.
Another buyer mentions that it’s easy to adjust the portable backdrop stand and that it’s perfect for light-weight backdrops. He highly recommends it as one of the best background stands available. However, a couple of users have noted that the product is flimsy and breaks because the plastic is of poor quality. Some also complain that they received a damaged unit.
Video Overview
Pros
- Affordable
- Light
- Portable
- Nylon clams
- Sandbags
- Aluminum construction
Cons
- Too flimsy for some
- Problems with assembly
Effectiveness
Price
Ease Of Use
If you’re looking for a cheap backdrop stand for amateur photographers, you might consider this portable background curtain offered by Emart. Users love the light construction, but some do note that it’s not suitable for heavy backdrops.
The Emart portable background support kit features adjustable crossbars, an aluminum alloy construction for portability and durability, heavy-duty spring clamps, and heavy-duty nylon sandbags. Another great thing about this product is that it comes with a bag so that you can take it with you on your trips. What’s more, you can adjust the height from 2.6 to 7 ft and the width from 5 to 10 ft.
A purchaser comments that the adjustable backdrop stand is sturdy enough to do the job and that it’s easy to put it together. He adds that it’s light and easy to transport and that he highly recommends it to anyone looking for portable background stands. Another reviewer shares that he bought three adjustable support frames and that he is pleased with the construction and the stability.
A user also observes that the frame lockups well and that it’s perfect for cake table backgrounds.
However, a few customers have noted that the product is of poor quality, flimsy and easy to break. Some also warn that the screws are cheap and won’t hold the crossbars.
Video Overview
Pros
- Light
- Adjustable
- Portable
- Heavy-duty spring clams
- Nylon sandbags
- A bag
Cons
- Flimsy and unstable according to some
- Cheap screws
Effectiveness
Price
Ease Of Use
This photography backdrop frame offered by LimoStudio is well-made, portable, and an excellent choice for parties and weddings.
Users love the price and the design, but some do note that they received a damaged unit. The LimoStudio background support system features premium quality sandbags for stability, multifunctional claps, and four string clips to keep the muslin in place.
Another great thing about this product is that you can adjust the height from 3.5 ft. to 8.5 ft. and the width from 5 ft. to 10 ft. What’s more, you’ll get a carry bag to transport the kit wherever you want.
A buyer observes that the quality of the LimoStudio photographic background frame is better than he expected and that it’s ideal for home studio work. He highly recommends it as one of the best cheap portable backdrop stands. Another reviewer shares that the assembly is straightforward and that 10 x 10 backdrops fit with no issues.
A user also mentions that the frame feels slightly flimsy, but he hasn’t had any problems with it. He adds that he is satisfied with its performance so far and that the carrying bag is a nice bonus. However, one customer complains that the product’s measurements are not correct and that it’s not strong enough to hold the vinyl in place without dipping.
Video Overview
Pros
- Well-made
- Sandbags
- Multifunctional claps
- Adjustable
- A carry bag
Cons
- Measurements are not accurate according to a few users
- Not suitable for heavy fabrics
Effectiveness
Price
Ease Of Use
If you are looking for an affordable backdrop support frame for shooting photos/videos you might consider this one offered by ePhoto.
Users love the portable carrying bag, but some do note that it’s not heavy-duty or suitable for heavy fabrics. The ePhoto support stand kit is made of lightweight aluminum for portability, and you can adjust the height up to 8 ft. and the width to 10 ft. Another great thing about this product is that you can set it up in minutes, store it in the included carry bag and take it with you.
In general, users have a high opinion of the ePhoto background support stands, and they praise the design and the functionality. A buyer comments that it takes him ten minutes to set up the frame and that it holds 10×13 backdrops with no dipping or bending. He advises that you use weights if you plan on setting it up outside.
Another reviewer states that it’s easy to adjust the height and the width and that the carry bag is very convenient. A purchaser mentions that the stand arrived well-packed and in excellent condition and that he uses it for muslins with no problems.
However, a few users have noted that the product is too light and flimsy for their liking and that you’ll need weights to keep it from falling. Some also warn that the measurements are not correct.
Video Overview
Pros
- Affordable
- A carry bag
- Adjustable
- Easy to set up
Cons
- Too light
- No weights
- Measurements are inaccurate according to few reviewers
Effectiveness
Price
Ease Of Use
This portable background frame kit offered by Linco is well-made, sturdy, and an excellent choice for shooting photos and videos.
Users love the price and the quality of the product, but some do note that it’s too light for their liking. The Linco T-shaped backdrop stand features a sturdy design, a set of crossbars, and clamps to keep the fabric in place. Another great thing about this product is that it’s light – just four lbs., and you don’t need any special skills to assemble it. What’s more, you can adjust it from 2.6 ft. to 6.7 ft.
A reviewer comments that he is using this T-shaped backdrop stand for his YouTube videos and that he is satisfied with its usefulness and stability. He adds that he highly recommends it as one of the best portable background stands.
A user mentions that he was surprised by the quality and that he hasn’t had issues with it. He shares that he bought several to shoot pictures for his website and that it takes a couple of minutes to set them up. Another purchaser states that he would have liked if there were sandbags to keep the frame stable, but it works well nonetheless. However, one customer has noted that the stand is flimsy and that the clips are not holding the fabric well.
Video Overview
Pros
- Light
- Sturdy
- Well-made
- Clamps
- Adjustable
- Easy to assemble
Cons
- Some quality complaints
Home Photography Studio Setup: How To Build a DIY Home Portrait Studio On A Budget
In this video, the video creator shows you how to make a home photography studio booth for under two hundred dollars.
According to this YouTuber, he says that are a lot of misguided beliefs in the photography community about what it takes to do studio photography in your house. People believe that they have to invest lots of money on gear or that they need to have a huge space or that it needs to be a lot of super complex setups.
But they want to show you in this video that you could actually get some really cool studio, looking shots in your own residence, without having to spend a ton of money.
They are going to show you how to make a home party photography studio in essence for under 200 dollars. So the main things you require, whenever you’re attempting to do studio photography in your house, you’ll need some sort of backdrop and then some source of light.
Now, for your backdrop, you may use a collapsible backdrop or cloth backdrop that you buy at your local art supply store or online.
You may also use a white wall in your apartment to get sort of a clean backdrop. Regarding lighting, if you aren’t using natural light during the daytime, you should use something like a softbox with a continuous light you can also use a flash and then something like a softbox to soften the severity of the light.
So today they are going to be setting up a sort of studio in his friend’s apartment here and they are retaking some portraits of her with their Sony A6000 camera. So for starters, they are just going use the white wall for the background and as the backdrop they are going to be using a continuous lighting setup on a softbox.
For starters, they are doing a simple front lighting setup by putting the light directly in front of and slightly above his friend, Bonita. This produces a flattering, even light on her face.
The kit they ended up purchasing came with two lights, two stands, two softboxes, and a carrying case. One advantage of a continuous lighting setup, as opposed to flash, is that it’s possible to see how the light looks prior to taking the photo, so even without a backdrop simply using a white wall you can get cool portraits.
Now if you wish to use a backdrop, it’s super easy to get one on online, as well. Another backdrop they used was a collapsible muslin background.
This backdrop is nice since the outer ring of the backdrop stretches the muslin flat it provides an unwrinkled, clean background. Additionally, it is simple enough to travel with and comes with a nice carrying case.
